Skeeter tugged me around Jed and dropped his grip. “Me first, then Lady,” he whispered before he turned around and disappeared down a pitch-black hole.

Jed had found a trapdoor.

When Skeeter was halfway down, Jed turned me around and guided me to the opening. I struggled to find my way in the darkness. My feet found wooden boards, but the pointy toes of my shoes didn’t cooperate, slowing my progress. I’d made it down several steps when I felt hands grab my waist and haul me the rest of the way. I squelched a shriek of surprise.

Skeeter set me on the ground and pushed me against a damp stone wall, his hand covering my mouth. “Shh!” It was pitch dark all around us.

Jed jumped down next to us and the darkness gave way when a flashlight beam flickered on. Moments later, Skeeter’s smiling face came into view. “Always have an escape plan, Lady.”

“My name is Rose,” I said angrily, but I was scared to death and anger was the easiest emotion to latch onto.

“Not anymore.”

Jed pushed past us and took the lead, Skeeter following behind. I took up the rear.

“How did this happen?” Skeeter asked.

“When I went after Doc Gentry, I passed a guy who said he thought he might have been tailed here” Jed answered. “I was about to warn you.”

Thank goodness he wasn’t blaming me.

We walked through the narrow stone tunnel for several minutes before we stopped at a dead end in front of another poorly constructed board ladder attached to the wall.

Jed climbed up first and lifted the trapdoor, looking around in all directions before declaring it safe.

Skeeter leered at me, gesturing toward the ladder. “Lady first.”

It was a terrible pun, but I refused to acknowledge it. “There’s no way on God’s green earth I’m going up before you and letting you look up my dress.”

He laughed. “I wouldn’t have thought of it if you hadn’t brought it up.”

“Liar,” I said, taking a step back and crossing my arms. “I know your reputation.”

His grin fell. “In all seriousness, Rose, you’re going up first. Now.”

There was a time and place for picking your battles and now didn’t seem to be the time or place, especially since the sheriff’s department might be hot on our heels.

“Fine, but keep your gaze averted.”

Skeeter laughed and turned to face the side wall. “I’m giving you five seconds before I look up.”

He actually started counting “One Mississippi, two Mississippi,” while I scrambled up the makeshift ladder. He reached five by the time Jed reached under my armpits and lifted me out, setting me gently on the ground.

“Where are we?” I asked, looking around and seeing nothing but trees. I suddenly realized what a precarious position I was in—alone in the woods with two men of very questionable character. But taking advantage of me seemed to be the very last thing on their minds as they coordinated with one of their buddies to pick us up.

“What about Merv?” I asked, though the person I was really worried about was Bruce Wayne.

Skeeter shrugged. “I’m sure Merv is fine. He knew the getaway plans.”

When I took my phone out to call Bruce Wayne, I saw that he’d already tried to call me. He’d also sent multiple warning texts after seeing the sheriff’s cars pull into the lot behind the barn. The rest of his messages asked where I was and if I was okay.

He answered on the first ring. “Rose? Are you safe?”

“I’m fine. I got out with Skeeter and Jed. I take it you are too since you’re answering your phone.”

“I’m fine. I parked down the road on a county road and I heard ’em comin’. I hid in the woods, but was worried about you. Joe’s there.”

“Yeah, I heard his voice.”

“And Mason’s there too. I saw him getting out of his car as I was sneakin’ away.”

“Mason?” My heart raced. “Is he okay? Did the people inside put up a fight?”

“I don’t know, Rose. I’m sure he’s fine.”

“Okay,” I said, my voice shaky. “You go on home, Bruce Wayne. I’ll have Skeeter take me back to my car and I’ll see you at five for Thanksgiving dinner.”

“Okay.” I could tell he didn’t like my plan, but there wasn’t a better alternative.

We started hiking through the woods, which proved a challenge with Neely Kate’s heels sinking in to the soft ground. Skeeter reached over to help me, but I shrugged out of his reach, which brought on a new round of chuckles.

“How can you act so nonchalant?” I asked, just barely starting to calm down from all the excitement. “We were almost arrested!”

“This ain’t our first rodeo,” Jed laughed.

I didn’t even want to consider all the other misadventures those two had experienced together.

A car was waiting for us when we reached the road. Skeeter opened the back door and waited for me to climb in before sliding in next to me. Jed rode shotgun. The men discussed how the sheriff’s office could have figured out where to find the location.

“Bull had the perfect code,” Skeeter mused. “The way he put together that numbered chart to communicate the place, time, and date was brilliant. I don’t know how anyone not in the know could have made heads or tails of it.”

I bit my tongue. Lord only knew what Skeeter would do if he found out I’d played a role in the bust, even if it was inadvertent. I kept quiet the entire ride to the parking lot of the pool hall. As soon as we parked, I got out of the car without saying a word.